DATE: Friday, May 9, 1997                   TAG: 9705090960

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Bob Molinaro 

                                            LENGTH:   57 lines

A PGA WIN WITHOUT TIGER NEEDS AN ASTERISK

Dullsville: The PGA Tour is a very quiet place when Tiger Woods is at rest, as he has been since his Masters victory. Says pro Brad Faxson: ``If you win a tournament and he's not there, they should put an asterisk next to your name: Tiger wasn't there that week.''

Futurewatch: When the Kentucky basketball coaching position is filled, leaving a vacancy at another college and causing the dominoes to fall, will the name of ODU's Jeff Capel surface yet again? Wouldn't doubt it.

No thank you: The under-24 pro basketball league is as welcome in Hampton Roads as the pollen season.

The bottom line: If Larry Bird came back to the Celtics now, it would be as Rick Pitino's valet.

Like father: Walsingham Academy's Tom Strange, 14-year-old son of Curtis, shot a 77 to finish one shot off the winning score in the Tidewater Conference championships.

In passing: Grant Hill will never be the next Michael Jordan. He's more like Scottie Pippen with character.

Well deserved: If, as some say, Dennis Rodman is being slapped with technical fouls simply for being Rodman, I can't think of a better reason.

Add Rodman: If an opposing team can't goad His Weirdness into a couple of T's before halftime, it isn't really trying.

Wallflower: Shaquille O'Neal cannot be taken seriously as a successor to Laker centers Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar while he's sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter of playoff games.

Muscleball: One thing Alonzo Mourning has not learned from his mentor, Patrick Ewing, is that even in a push-comes-to-shove series, a little finesse can go a long way. Overheated describes the Heat center.

His very own: The men's senior tennis tour, for 35s and over, isn't called the Connors Circuit for nothing. Jimbo has won 25 of 37 events.

Strange dude: When Hank Aaron showed up in Chicago last Friday to give Albert Belle the Aaron RBI award for 1996, Belle declined to attend the news conference. ``I don't know why Albert is like he is,'' said Aaron. Join the club, Hank.

Short story: The Orioles' fast start has made Cal Ripken's move to third a non-issue.

Heads up: It's still very early, but the current series between the Orioles and Mariners at Camden Yards could be a preview of postseason play.

Recognition: Mia Hamm, a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning Olympic soccer team and the only recognizable women's soccer player in America, is included in People Magazine's list of ``the 50 most beautiful people in the world.'' She's the only female athlete listed.

Ringwise: I'm still waiting for confirmation on this, but I think that by splitting her brother's lip, Riddick Bowe's sister becomes eligible for a bout with George Foreman.

Talking it up: Atlanta Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo speaks five languages, not counting ``trash.''

Idle thought: Sports would be a better place if there were a player named Mookie on every team.

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